A Trumpy GOP candidate has been found dead in a truck in a remote area.
Barry Christian, 54, went missing on Tuesday after failing to turn up for a pre-arranged meeting.
He had been running for the Oklahoma state Senate in District 38 in the western part of the state, on a conservative platform, promising to work closely with President Donald Trump.
His remains were found near a ravine in the Sandy Sanders Wildlife Management Area, with a large sign for his campaign tossed nearby, picked up by images gathered by KOCO 5 News.
The Harmon County Sheriff’s Office and the Beckham County Sheriff’s Office put out a plea for information on Wednesday, and the following day, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation confirmed its agents were at the scene of a 2024 charcoal gray Ram truck matching the description of Christian’s.
The bureau confirmed to KOCO 5 that it had found a body inside the truck off Highway 30, near Erick, on Thursday.
“On the morning of April 30, around 9:45 a.m., Christian’s vehicle was discovered by Beckham County deputies in the Sandy Sanders Wildlife Management Area, just south of Erick, Oklahoma,” the bureau said in a statement on Facebook.
“As OSBI special agents processed the scene, they discovered a body inside the vehicle, who was positively identified as Christian. It was determined that Christian was an Oklahoma State Senate candidate.”
No details on the cause of his death have been disclosed but the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is set to determine his cause and manner death, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said.
“Please pray for our family and friends. Our world is upside down right now,” his daughter, Brooklyn said in a statement to KOCO 5. “We are still not sure of everything that happened, so please act with grace and treat my dad’s legacy with dignity.
“We are extremely grateful to everyone who assisted in the search efforts, and all of the media outlets that shared his information. I know there will be lots of people devastated by his passing.”
A website pitching Christian’s politics, paid for by the group Barry Christian for OK 2026, described him as a “conservative choice,” saying, “In the State Senate, Barry will proudly stand with President Trump and fight for the traditional conservative values that make America great.”
Among the imperatives were listed “Fight leftist government overreach,” “Defend unborn babies,” and “Oppose reckless open borders policies.”
“The challenges we face in Oklahoma aren’t Republican or Democrat—they’re challenges of education, workforce, public safety, agriculture, and the ability for families to build a future here at home,” he said in a Facebook post earlier this month.
“These are everyday issues that require real solutions and real commitment. I’m running because I believe in the values that built towns like ours—faith, respect, honesty, and responsibility.”
Sharing a tribute, his ex-wife, Farrah Christian, said, “You were the best ride of my life. We had lots of ups and downs, twists and turns, and even though we didn’t end up together, we always stayed close, and we have the most beautiful children and grandchildren who you loved so deeply.
“You taught me how to cook, you taught me how to love. I just don’t know how we are supposed to live without you. My heart aches more than I can bear right now.”
